1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for positioning work objects and more particularly to a method and apparatus which are particularly well suited to orienting irregularly shaped work objects which are individually elongated along a longitudinal axis, such as, for example, vegetables, fruit and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The processing and handling of fungible goods, and particularly goods which are received in bulk, are irregularly shaped and yet which are elongated along a longitudinal axis, present particular difficulties. These difficulties reside in the fact that the goods must be properly positioned for handling if such processing and handling is to be effectively accomplished. Thus, for such purposes as cleaning, grading, sizing and packing, it is desirable and, in the case of some equipment, essential that the products be separated from each other and disposed in a given orientation in which the handling equipment is designed to receive the product.
These problems are particularly acute in the processing and handling of fruits, vegetables and the like which possess a seemingly infinite variety of configurations and sizes, but must be passed through cleaning, grading, sizing and packing equipment, preferably in single file and in particular orientations. In the case of such crops as potatoes, irregularities of size and shape common in all varieties of potatoes make such processing and handling unusually difficult. Heretofore, the equipment adapted for the purpose of positioning such work objects has only been marginally successful. Conventional devices for so positioning work objects include those having belts of progressively greater velocity, vibrating conveyors and successive product drop points. The objective of such equipment is to separate the products from each other, and in some cases, to orient them in particular attitudes. Not only has such prior art equipment been inadequate, at best, in achieving these objectives, but characteristically they damage the product causing bruising, abrading and peeling thereof. The result is that the processing and handling equipment receiving the product has not been able to function at an optimum level and therefore cleaning, grading, sizing and packing of the product has been less than satisfactory and the product has been damaged.
Therefore, it has long been known that it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus for positioning work objects having particular utility in handling randomly oriented, irregularly shaped work objects individually elongated along longitudinal axes and received in bulk, operable individually to separate and orient the work objects so that they can be received by processing and handling equipment in a known orientation with little or no variation therefrom to permit such equipment to operate to its maximum efficiency and reliability and without the problems associated with prior art equipment.